Utsukushi Burukkurin
by DoctorGarcia
Summary: The writing was on the wall, and she knew it. One year after the failed wedding, Ukyo has come to terms with the simple fact that you can't fight fate. It was time to make amends and move on... [Chapter 2 - This Is Getting Over You] Please Read & REVIEW! Thanks!
1. Prologue - No One's Gonna Love You

**Disclaimer: Ranma and friends belong to Takahashi and Viz. Not mine. No can haz. **

**Prologue**

Fittingly enough, it was raining.

It was only natural, and honestly, it matched her mood. After all, she was about to give up on something that had consumed her life since, well, since she could remember.

A year previous, there had been a wedding. Well, an attempt at one, anyway. There had been complications, and she herself had played no small part in that. The more she thought about it now, the more ashamed she felt about her actions. They were born of love, sure, but also of pettiness and jealousy and all the ugly baggage that comes along with unrequited love.

She twisted the handle of her umbrella between her fingers as she made her way along the streets. So much had happened since then, and a lot of it pointed to one simple fact: Ranma and Akane were destined for each other. It had been written long ago, long before she'd arrived in Nerima, long before Ranma's father had cheated her own out of his livelihood. You can't fight fate, no matter how hard you tried. It seemed the more she and the other girls had tried to drive Akane and Ranma apart, the closer they brought them together.

And now, it was time to let go.

The Tendo home was unusually quiet today, and it led Ukyo to wonder if anyone was at home. She really hated to think that she'd made her way all the way here in the rain only to find that she'd wasted the trip. She also feared that another day to think about it would cause her to have second thoughts. That it would break her resolve. In all her years of training, after renouncing her womanhood and devoting her life to revenge, she had strengthened her determination most of all. That was what made her so insistent on winning Ranma, and that was what she needed now more than anything. Now that she'd decided to concede defeat.

There was a grace to it, if she did say so herself.

She rang the doorbell, and still heard nothing from inside. Fidgeting, she looked up and down the empty street. Alone. She knew it didn't mean anything, but to her it felt like everything. All alone.

The door creaked slightly as it opened, causing Ukyo to turn her attention toward it. The smiling face of Kasumi Tendo was on the other side, shining like the sun in a storm. The older girl looked surprised to see her.

"Ukyo, hello! Are you here to see Ranma? Why don't you come in out of the rain?"

The okonomiyaki chef smiled. Kasumi had that effect on everyone. The Tendo daughter stepped aside, opening the door to let her in. Ukyo walked in and lowered the umbrella, shaking it off out the door as best she could.

"Thank you, Kasumi. And no, I'm actually here to see... Akane."

This caused the hostess to frown. "Oh my. I hope you aren't here to fight again. Though, you don't usually use the door in that case. Anyway, wait here, I'll go and get her for you." Kasumi's frown shifted into a polite smile before she headed back into the house, leaving Ukyo alone to her thoughts once again.

How do you do it? How do you face the woman you've physically attacked on numerous occasions? How do you atone for all of your schemes and tricks? Love was no excuse, "right" was a flimsy scaffolding in the face of dishonor. Ukyo rubbed her face with her fingertips, trying to steel herself. The one thing she knew she couldn't do was cry. She wouldn't give the universe the satisfaction of her tears. She didn't want pity, or sympathy. She just wanted things to be better.

Akane came around the corner, looking skeptical as usual. At least she didn't look hostile. Kasumi was a kind person, and tended to be pretty on the ball despite her airy nature. Maybe the oldest Tendo daughter detected her distress after all. Maybe she prefaced Ukyo's arrival with a disclaimer. Either way, it was good to see Akane wasn't completely on the defensive.

It was easier to do things you didn't want to when the other person wasn't automatically yelling at you.

"What are you doing here, Ukyo?" The voice was suspicious, and that was fair. Sure, she and Akane fluctuated between being okay friends and total rivals, but the crash of the wedding definitely caused a general downturn. Akane acted like she didn't want the wedding, at least not all the way. But there was something in her eyes that day that said differently. She loved Ranma, no matter how much she tried to play it off, and he loved her back just as much. It was a realization that she'd spent the better part of the past few months mulling over, sometimes to the detriment of her work. It was a realization that led her to this very moment.

And there was no turning back now.

"Akane, I..." She started, her voice catching in her throat as expected. She took a deep breath and started again. "I, umm, I just wanted you to know that you – that I, well... I'm giving up. On Ranma, I mean." Ukyo peeled her eyes from the floor just long enough to see the other girl crossing her arms. "This isn't a, um, trick or anything. I feel..." She laughed nervously, though it was really half a sob and she had to laugh to beat it down, "I feel like a real idiot, Akane. The way I've acted, the things I've done. I don't think you'll ever forgive me and, hell, I probably don't deserve forgiveness. But I just wanted you to know that I support you guys , whatever you decide to do."

The other girl considered her, for a moment. Ukyo watched Akane's eyes as the moved between various levels of confusion, fury and.. well, a lot of things, honestly. It felt like forever, and Ukyo just wished anything would happen to break the silence. Even if Akane decided to shout her back out onto the streets, into the rain, at least it would have been something.

"Ukyo, I mean... you can't really blame me if I find this hard to believe, can you?"

It was the natural question, and it was delivered with a level of calm that Ukyo wasn't accustomed to from Akane Tendo. She took it as a decent sign, if not a relief. Ukyo exhaled and decided to press on.

"No, I know, of course not. I've done a lot of stupid things, unfair things. To you and, honestly, to Ran-chan – uh, Ranma." She cursed herself for slipping into the habit of calling him by her pet name for him. She hoped that Akane would take it for the mistake it was and not some underlying sign that she wasn't being honest. Apart from a barely perceptible twitch of the eyebrow, Akane gave no indication one way or another. "But I'm serious. Anything I can do to prove it, I'm willing to do it. Even if I've got to leave town... I'll close up the restaurant and move on. I uprooted myself once, I can... I can do it again." She chewed her lip lightly. The prospect of leaving Nerima altogether wasn't an attractive one, but if honor demanded it, then she would swallow her pride and find a new place to go. It wasn't as if she was worried she wouldn't be successful elsewhere, it was just that she had come to think of this place as her home. Not that she expected Akane would ever ask that of her, but the possibility was there now. There was no taking it back.

Akane looked off to the side, as if she was considering all the options that were laid before her. She was starting to think that the other girl really believed her, and she was glad for it. It beat the alternative, and hurting Akane would only serve to further alienate herself from Ranma. She saw that now, more clearly than she ever had.

"Let me think about it." Akane's reply came, and it was about as good as Ukyo could have hoped for. Outright forgiveness wasn't really anything she'd expected any more than total banishment was. Ukyo figured she would just lay low until she got the reply. No sense in seeming desperate, no matter how desperate she was. "Let me think about it, and I'll let you know what I think we should do."

Ukyo smiled sadly and nodded. "Of course. You know where to find me. Just, don't tell Ranma about this, okay? He's such a dope, he might accidentally try to defend me and I don't want him giving you the wrong idea. He's crazy about you, Akane, you have to know that."

Akane chewed her own bottom lip now, and gave the slightest nod. "I do."

And that was that. Ukyo picked her umbrella back up and opened the door to face the downpour. She began to take a step out, but Akane's voice stopped her.

"Ukyo."

The chef looked over at Akane curiously. The girl's guard had completely dropped now, and there was a slight touch of sympathy to her voice. "If you really do mean this... thank you."

Ukyo opened the umbrella outside the door. "I do."

She cried all the way back to Ucchan's.

It was going to be a long night.


	2. 1 - Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt

_Eight Months Later..._

She nervously checked the note yet again, making sure that she had the right place. It wouldn't do to be late, and it wouldn't do to not show up where she was expected. After all, the whole plan hinged on her. As much as she appreciated the opportunity, she wasn't a huge fan of the pressure.

She did have the right place, however, and she pocketed the note. It was nearly the time indicated, and as she approached the alley in question, she took an anxious look around at her surroundings. There were lots of little nooks and crannies, and plenty of obstructions in the form of dumpsters and other structures that blocked line of sight.

In other words, it was the perfect place for an ambush.

Ukyo gripped her spatula with both hands, the weight of it giving her some comfort. She was here to meet the girls who were normally her rivals, and any meeting that involved Kodachi Kuno and Shampoo was bound to involve some kind of trickery or deception. She had to be ready for anything.

"Shampoo? Kodachi? It's me, Ukyo." She called out to the alley, not seeing either of the other girls. She had half a mind to check the note again, but quickly shook off the urge. She was in the right place, and at the right time. She could only hope that they hadn't just decided to get her out of the picture.

"Spatula Girl!" The high, lilting voice of Shampoo came from behind her, and Ukyo cursed herself for letting the Amazon get the drop on her. She turned on heel to see the blue haired Chinese girl standing with weapons in hand, her twin chui giving the girl little trouble in the weight department. Shampoo was easily the strongest of Ranma's myriad fiancees, and Ukyo never seemed to get away from a fight with the girl without her share of bruises. The Amazon gazed coldly across the alley at Ukyo, which only caused her to hold her spatula even more tightly. Her rival continued, "You ready to do what need to be done?"

Ukyo nodded. "Of course. I've been ready for a long time." This was the truth, and Shampoo had no idea how much effort she had put into this day. _She'll find out soon enough, though._ Ukyo pushed the thought back for now. There was no room for distractions. "Where's that crazy Kuno girl?"

"How dare you refer to me in such a way?" The voice of Kodachi rang out from Ukyo's right, and the gymnast took her place beside the Amazon with so much grace. If Shampoo's gaze was cold, Kodachi's was frigid, the sort of look that came when arrogance and insanity met. "Why, if today weren't what it is, I would put you down right here and now, Kuonji."

_As if you could._ Ukyo smirked. She wanted so badly to tell the girl off, but it wasn't the time yet. She had to be sure everything went off as planned. "Too bad your grandmother had to go back to China, Shampoo, we could really use her firepower." She glanced expectantly at Shampoo, who nodded grimly.

"Aiya, Shampoo agree. Jusenkyo guide say he need great-grandmother help. No say why, though..." Shampoo's expression turned to one of puzzlement, as if she were trying to suss the problem out, but Ukyo dismissed her concern and glanced at Kodachi next.

"And your brother, Kodachi? I imagine _he'll _be coming along, at least."

Kodachi's expression turned to one of annoyance. "Actually, my idiot brother has left Japan. He received a letter from that pigtailed hussy of his saying she was stranded on a deserted island and needed his help." The Kuno girl's teeth ground together, just a touch. "She also requested that he bring suntan lotion, the shameless tramp."

Ukyo's expression turned to one of distress now. "What a drag. So, it's just us three, then?" The other two girls nodded, and Ukyo put her fingers to her chin. "I see. That's going to make stopping this wedding a lot more difficult, then."

"Spatula Girl can say that again."

Ukyo closed her eyes, deep in thought. Very shortly, the second attempt at marriage for Ranma and Akane would be starting. As with the first time, Ukyo had agreed to help Shampoo and Kodachi stop the wedding so that Ranma would be free to date whichever one of them he chose. It was a simple plan, and it didn't take much of a disruption on their part to bring it to a grinding halt the last time. Of course, there had been a few other players involved. But with Kuno and Cologne mysteriously called away, and Ryoga intentionally led astray. "Yep, things are going to be a _lot_ more difficult this time around." She opened her eyes and grinned at the other two girls, who were suddenly taken aback. "Luckily for me, I brought backup!"

She turned her head toward the rooftops and waved. The other two girls followed her gaze just in time to see Konatsu, the world's first male kunoichi, push down a lever to topple over the edge of the roof a large stack of garbage and large debris they had gathered. The junk tumbled into the alley, forming a wall that effectively blocked access in one direction, leaving the other two girls between Ukyo and the wall.

"What is this?!"

"Spatula Girl, what you do?!"

Konatsu leaped from the rooftop, landing gracefully next to his employer. Ukyo raised her spatula into combat position. "Sorry, ladies, but I'm afraid this wedding is going through as planned this time."

"Treachery!" Came the cry from Kodachi, her gaze steely upon the two dissenters in front of her. "I never imagined you would turn your back on this arrangement, Kuonji. I would be impressed, if I weren't so angry." Her fingers shifted toward a club strapped behind her back, and Konatsu interposed himself between her and Ukyo.

"Do not make another move, Miss Kuno," he commanded, looking determined to carry out the wishes of his employer and friend, "Or I shall be forced to put you down!"

"That's right. Everyone just play nice." Ukyo stepped up next to the kunoichi boy again, her gaze shifting between her two former allies. "As long as we just stay here peacefully, no one has to get hurt. But if you insist on trying to stop the wedding, you're going to have to go through us. So why don't we all relax and just let destiny take its course?"

Kodachi and Shampoo traded looks now, an unspoken conversation between the two of them seeming to weigh the options. Ukyo watched, a bundle of nervous energy, wondering if there was going to be a fight, or if she'd have to find another outlet for her adrenaline. The electricity hung in the air of the alleyway for what felt like hours, and then Shampoo turned and looked at the chef once again.

"We say no deal!"

Ukyo's lips twisted into a grin. As much as she hated to be cliché, she was kind of hoping they would decide to fight. Eight months worth of second guessing and resigning herself to losing the man she had convinced herself she loved built up all sorts of steam just waiting to be let off. Shampoo started toward her, with Kodachi close behind. With one more glance to Konatsu, Ukyo readied herself for the charge.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

_Eight Months Ago..._

Three days she'd been waiting. Three anxious days, days of worry and wonder and regret and anger. She'd almost gone back to the Tendo home multiple times, almost gone and told Akane that the deal was off and that she still wanted to be with Ranma. She managed to stop herself every time, throwing herself into the work that needed done around Ucchan's. Distracting herself with her duty the way she had all those years ago when Ranma and his father had first left her behind. There was nothing else but the work. She had to convince herself of that for everyone's sake.

The teppan couldn't be cleaner, the ingredients were all prepared. There were still two hours before the usual lunch rush started, and Ukyo was desperately looking for things to clean or fix or one last vegetable to prep. She was so focused on her own panic that it startled her when the bell over the door rang. She was surprised to see who was entering.

"Nabiki? You know I'm not open yet, right?"

The middle Tendo daughter gave Ukyo a chilly look, one that she had seen thousands of times before, or so it seemed. It wasn't that Nabiki was heartless, it was just that she was businesslike. It was a quality that Ukyo admired in the girl, being an entrepreneur herself. But this morning, considering the circumstances, it was damn near unsettling.

"I think you know I'm not here for lunch, Ukyo." The willowy young woman made her way across the little cafe, sliding onto a stool across the counter from Ukyo with practiced grace. She knitted her fingers together and stared with steely eyes at the chef, throwing Ukyo's heart into a panic. Why would Akane send her sister, unless there was a matter of a debt to be settled? Of course, it made sense. After all, Ukyo did owe Akane and Ranma both for the disruption of the wedding. By extension, didn't she also owe the Tendo family as a whole?

She tried to play cool, but her voice was shaking. "Akane told you what I said, didn't she?"

A wry smile crossed Nabiki's lips. "Of course she did. Didn't take much to get it out of her, in all honesty. I knew something was up when I didn't hear any yelling, and you didn't bring any food. I told her that she'd need a negotiator if she was going to make any deals with you, considering you're such a discerning businesswoman and all. Figured it may as well be me, so here I am."

Ukyo crossed her arms and frowned at Nabiki. "Flattery? That's not your style." It was true, Nabiki almost always worked from a position of power, even when she didn't have the upper hand. The blatant appeal to Ukyo's sense of pride in her work seemed off. "Whatever it is you want, you clearly _really_ want it."

It was Nabiki's turn to frown now, and Ukyo was almost proud to wipe the smirk off the girl's face. Not because she disliked the girl, of course, more that it was a bit of an accomplishment. Nabiki planted her palms on the counter and pushed herself up into a straight and commanding looking posture.

"Okay, Kuonji, if you want to skip the formalities, here's how it is." Nabiki's voice was steady as she launched into her pitch, trying to take the lead back from her quarry. "If you really meant what you told Akane, then we're willing to accept it. But, we're going to need your help if everything is going to go smoothly."

Ukyo rested her chin on her hand, and her elbow on the counter. "Go on..."

"Well," Nabiki glanced with irritation at the wall to her left, "As you well know, the first attempt at a marriage didn't go over so well. I accept partial responsibility for this, as I was the one who sent out the invitations. It wasn't that I didn't want the wedding to happen, far from it in fact. Whatever stops my father moping around all day is a worthwhile investment. No, my plan was to invite everyone Ranma and Akane know to rake in the presents. I didn't count on the amount of damage that you all would cause. It completely offset the value of wedding gifts." Her gaze returned to the bemused looking Ukyo, "I won't be making that mistake again. This time, it's going to be a small affair. Family only, to be exact."

The chef gave a nod. "And how do you plan on making that happen, exactly?"

Nabiki grinned. "Well, the main concern is to keep anyone who would try to stop the wedding away at all costs. You know, the usual crew. Kuno I can handle, and I might be able to leverage a favor from China to get Shampoo's grandma out of the picture. Hibiki hasn't really been after Akane as much since he met that Unryu girl, but I might just get him lost on principle."

Ukyo chuckled a bit at that. After all these years, Ryoga's sense of direction had never gotten better. She honestly couldn't believe it, but then again, it seemed like all of Nerima's various crazy characters had stagnated in their particular grooves. Nothing had really changed; everyone was still after Ranma or Akane or their associated peripherals. That was, until Ukyo had decided to throw in the towel. "So that leaves Shampoo and Kodachi." She noted, holding up two fingers.

Nabiki nodded. "That it does. And that's where you come in."

This caught Ukyo off guard. "How so?"

"Last time, the three of you seemed to make a pretty coordinated attack on our home. You must have met ahead of time."

Ukyo nodded. It had been Shampoo's idea, actually. Ukyo had received a letter from the girl imploring her to set aside their differences for the sake of preventing Ranma from going off the market for good. Even then, Ukyo had considered telling her that it was time to let go, but her heart was still too powerfully drawn to her childhood friend. Not this time.

"Good. So you just have to show up for that meeting again this time. Except this time, you make sure no one makes it out of the meeting until it's too late."

Ukyo laughed. "You mean you want me to stop Shampoo from getting what she wants? Even if it were just her, that'd be a pretty tall order, throw in Kodachi and it's a downright challenge." 

"Think you can't handle it, Kuonji?" Nabiki's voice dared, a tone that irritated the chef to no end. "You have friends, don't you? Nothing says you have to show up all by yourself."

"They'd be suspicious if Konatsu was there with me. They know he has no interest in stopping the wedding." It was true. The last time Konatsu had followed her on her mission, but all along was trying to talk her out of it. He was like her own little Jiminy Cricket, except she was fairly certain that the male kunoichi had a thing for her. One that wasn't reciprocated, unfortunately for him. But still, sitting here now, she sort of wished she had listened to him.

Nabiki stood up. "You want to hold up your promise to Akane? Figure it out. Do whatever it takes to keep those crazy women away from our house. If you can do that, you can consider yourself forgiven. Those are the terms."

Ukyo bit her lip, considering all of this. An enraged Shampoo wasn't something she was too keen on facing anymore, but she had done it before and come out mostly unscathed. What were another few bruises in the name of forgiveness? Even now, a plan was formulating in her mind. She knew what she was going to have to do.

"Okay, Nabiki, it's a deal. If this is what it's going to take to prove myself, then I'll do it. All..." She felt her voice catch again, embarrassingly. "All I want, all I ever wanted, was for Ranma to be happy. I just thought, wrongly, that he'd be happy with... me."

Nabiki eyed her for a moment, judging her silently with that appraising gaze. Ukyo felt pretty exposed under that ocular assault, but she stood firm, her hands only trembling slightly.

"Just do the thing, Kuonji. I know I can count on you."

Nabiki started for the door, and Ukyo sighed heavily. The middle Tendo daughter paused in the doorframe and looked back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and Ukyo?"

Ukyo had picked her spatula back up to check for tears in the reflection. She peeked over the metallic instrument with an eyebrow raised. "Huh?"

"There'll be a party, after. If you pull it off, I think.. I think you should come. Dress nice, okay?"

Ukyo was taken aback by the sentimentality that Nabiki had showed, but before she could make a comment or even confirm, the girl was out the door.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

_Eight Months Later..._

Ukyo ducked as Shampoo took another swing at her head with the heavy chui, the wind whistling above her as the head of the weapon cut a wide swath through the air. Within minutes, the alleyway had shown the signs of battle, as Shampoo's strength had already reduced sections of the walls of the surrounding buildings to rubble. Konatsu was currently dodging a serious of whiplike snaps from Kodachi's ribbon, bouncing around the alley with quickness. Ukyo smirked and took a diagonal swing with her spatula to send Shampoo dodging backward. She was glad with her choice of fighting partners, and especially glad that her weapon's reach far outstripped Shampoo's. What the amazon had in strength didn't matter as much if Ukyo could keep outside of her blast radius.

"Hold still you treacherous transvestite!" This came from Kodachi, the gymnast's psyche starting to crack a little at the frustrating defenses of Konatsu. It would only be a matter of time now before the girl would start to come seriously unhinged. Already the alleyway was littered with the Kuno sister's implements: clubs and balls and batons were strewn about and lodged in surfaces.

She was running out of ammo and, Ukyo could see, running out of gas.

"Miss Ukyo!"

Konatsu's warning caught her attention just in time to see that Shampoo had stepped forward and was taking a mighty overhand swing with both her chui at the same time. Ukyo managed to jump back just in time for the weapons to impact on the pavement, creating a crater of rather impressive size. Ukyo blinked, noting that she would have to give her employee a little bit of a bonus for the save.

The dust began to settle and Ukyo could faintly make out the silhouette of Shampoo, leaping through with a flying kick. Ukyo took a quick step to the side and swung her spatula like a baseball bat, swatting the amazon aside and sending one of the chui flying. The weapon whizzed within inches of Kodachi, the girl's ribbon fluttering after it in its wake. The gymnast was incensed.

"Watch where you're throwing that thing, you brute!"

It was just enough of an opening, and Konatsu took the opportunity. He dashed toward the girl, snatching the end of the ribbon from the air and quickly tying Kodachi Kuno into a neat little package. He lifted her over his shoulder, eliciting a cry of indignation from the girl.

"Miss Ukyo, I shall remove her from the field! The rest is up to you!"

In a puff of smoke, the two were gone. Leaving Ukyo alone with Shampoo.

"No more friend, Spatula Girl! Shampoo defeat you now, then stop wedding by herself!"

Ukyo grinned, and started to wheel to her right, circling around Shampoo. The amazon matched her movements, her remaining chui at the ready. Ukyo's back was to the barricade that Konatsu had made, while Shampoo's back was to her escape route.

"You know, you're right. You probably could stop that wedding by yourself, Shampoo. But you're wrong about one thing."

Shampoo's eyebrow raised in annoyance. "Oh yeah? What that?"

Ukyo glanced over the girl's shoulder. "I still have another friend!"

Shampoo wheeled around to see... nothing but a fire hydrant. "What trick –?"

"NOW!"

Shampoo's head snapped to look back at Ukyo just in time to hear the cry.

"CHAAAAAARGE!"

From the open end of the alley, the fire hydrant was on the move. Except it wasn't a hydrant after all. Tsubasa Kurenai was rushing headlong into the fray. With a fire hose in tow.

Ukyo quickly slashed her spatula down, knocking Shampoo's remaining weapon from her hand just in time for the amazon to catch the full force of the hose's blast in her center mass. Ukyo reacted quickly, catching the soggy cat which emerged from the spray carefully in an empty flour tin, clamping the lid on tightly. From within, she could hear the yowling of the infuriated Shampoo.

"Oh, relax, I poked air holes in it!"

Tsubasa, in full hydrant disguise, shut down the hose and grinned at Ukyo. "Did it work?"

"Like a charm... thank you, Tsubasa. I really appreciate your help."

Ukyo's strange ex-suitor gave her a soft smile. "For you, Ukyo, anything." He took the violently shaking flour tin from her and gave her a one armed hug, the first time Ukyo could ever recall being hugged by a fire plug.

"Now, go get changed, Ukyo.. you have a party to get to."


	3. 2 - This Is Getting Over You

As Tsubasa had instructed, she made her way back to Ucchan's to bathe and change for the party. By now, the deed was done, and Ranma and Akane were husband and wife. A combined wave of nausea and relief washed over her, knowing the finality of it all. Knowing that there was no turning back this time.

She cried in the bath, but only a little. She afforded herself the tears, knowing that this time, at least, it was her decision. There were limits, however, to the mitigating power of acceptance against pain. So many years detesting him for abandoning her, then more years pursuing him with all of her heart and energy. So much of her life, devoted emotionally, in one way or another, to the same man. And now he was gone for good.

It was a lot to handle.

She had remembered to lay out her blue dress that morning, before she left on her final mission of redemption. She was still reeling from that, as well. The fight had left her with bumps and bruises, as all of her clashes with Shampoo tended to. But this time they were a badge of honor. The symbol of her promise kept, her sacrifice. The sleeveless dress would surely show some of the damage, and anywhere other than Nerima that would be weird.

It fit her well, of course. Her training regimen and long hours behind a hot grill had helped to keep her in excellent shape. This time, however, she wasn't so concerned with how it made her look, only that she fit in with the undoubtedly formal affair that the Tendo family had thrown on the occasion of the wedding of their youngest daughter. Honestly, even though she knew that Ranma and Akane had been engaged, she didn't see Akane as the bride type. The girl herself had often protested the very idea of marriage. For a while, Ukyo had even believed that Akane Tendo had no interest in Ranma or any other boy, and that suited her just fine to believe. Now, though, she saw it for the wishful thinking it was. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw the contradiction that she was: defeated in her victory.

And, yet... somehow gloriously free. For the first time since she had been just a small girl, she was unchained from Ranma, for better or worse. Not that she had any intention of abandoning him altogether, but for once in her life, as far as she could remember, her fate and his were separate in her mind.

She left her spatula leaning against the wall; there would be no need of it anymore. Not tonight, anyway. She glanced around her room, taking it all in. Was this what a new start looked like? What it felt like? She considered that as she shut off the lights and headed out of the okonomiyaki restaurant she had called home for the past few years and onto the streets of Nerima ward.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

She could hear the festivities in progress from down the street, the party to celebrate the marriage of the Tendo and Saotome families, and the uniting of their respective schools, no doubt being held in the large, open courtyard nestled inside the dojo. Once again, her instinct to turn back kicked in, as it had eight months before. She didn't have to face this, not today. There was nothing saying that she had to congratulate them in person. She'd done her part, and everyone knew that the wedding's success had just as much to do with Ukyo as it did anybody else. There would no doubt be gratitude waiting for her on the other side of that door, but was the high she'd inevitably feel from the praise worth the crushing reality of the wedding?

Before she could talk herself out of it, she found herself knocking on the door. She adjusted the ribbon in her hair while she waited for, no doubt, Kasumi to greet her with that bright smile and pleasant demeanor that she always wore. Even that would be a small dagger in the heart of her, despite the fact that it was just how Kasumi always was.

She didn't want to see these people right now. But she promised that she would, just as much as she'd promised to handle Shampoo and Kodachi. Grace in defeat was something to be admired, wasn't it?

The door opened and, to her surprise, it was Soun Tendo, the patriarch of the family, who answered the door instead of the eldest daughter. She could feel the surprise on her face, and immediately noticed the tears forming in the eyes of Akane's father.

"Mister Tendo, thank you for-"

Before she could finish the sentence, she found herself wrapped tightly in a hug. It caught her off guard even moreso than his appearance at the door in the first place. She had always known him as an emotional man, though that emotion tended to be panic or despair rather than... was this happiness? It must have been. She couldn't help but feel simultaneously awkward and happy for the man. He had suffered as much by her hands as Akane had, perhaps even more.

"Ukyo... you have no idea how much what you've done today means to me." He cleared his throat and let go of the smaller girl, taking a step backward and looking down at her with a proud smile playing at the corners of his thin lips. "Thanks to you, my promise to my oldest and dearest friend has finally been fulfilled, and our families have been united by the love our children have for one another. I know how difficult it must have been for you, I truly do. But I want you to know that I harbor no ill will toward you for the things you did in the name of love. Because, in the end, this selfless act... this gift that you've given all of us today, was the ultimate demonstration of that love. I, for one, will never forget that."

She had heard her share of speeches from Soun Tendo, but none so heartfelt and hopeful as this one. It brought a tear to her own eye, which she wiped away gently before it could mess up her makeup. Of all the things that she had imagined would happen when she got here, this was not one of them. "It's... you're welcome, Mister Tendo."

The man nodded and stepped in beside her. "Believe it or not, Akane is looking forward to seeing you, too. I know that seems strange, considering your history, but I hope that it becomes the new normal around here. Despite the journey they took to get here, they're still very young. They need friends in their lives that they can rely on. Saotome and I won't be around forever, after all."

She felt a pressure building in her chest after that, the appeal from Mr. Tendo making her feel slightly nauseous once again. She wasn't sure exactly what it was that she was planning to do with herself, now, in the post-Ranma world, but she hadn't really considered being heavily involved in his life any further to be an option.

He led her through the house, empty for the first time in undoubtedly a long time. With three daughters plus two Saotomes and a parade of interlopers, this home had seen more than its fair share of occupancy over the years. It was yet another sign of the changes to come to see the dining area so abandoned.

Or maybe that was just in her head.

Soun slid the door open to the scene in the courtyard, the small gathering of family and friends that Nabiki had so carefully cultivated. The Saotome parents, the Tendo family, and a few friends from school, plus Dr Tofu, who was currently putting on quite the wild dancing show for a giggling Kasumi. In the center, at a table set up by the koi pond just for them, were the newlyweds. Ranma and Akane had been speaking quietly to one another when the door opened, but they both looked up at her now. Everyone else followed.

Every eye on her. The founder of the feast, in a way. The hero.

She tried to block everyone else out, glancing at Akane. She looked so beautiful tonight. Perhaps every woman looked beautiful as a bride, but Akane was not one to dress up on the regular. Her natural good looks were highlighted by the dress and the intricately styled hair and the candles and the obvious glow of a woman happily married. For the first time in a very long time, Ukyo saw a smile on Akane's face when she looked at her. The bride waved her forward, and she had no choice but to comply.

Who refuses anything of the bride on her wedding day?

She stepped across the courtyard, and she caught Soun Tendo once again out of the corner of her eye. He was crying, and come to think of it, he looked as if he'd been crying when he answered the door. The Tendo father crying was nothing new, really. He was the most emotional man she'd ever known. But today, she knew, he was the happiest he'd been in years.

She tried to push away the realization that it was, at least in part, because of her.

Ukyo reached the table, and leaned gently against the front edge. Ranma began to say hello but Akane stopped him. "Ranma, do you mind giving Ukyo and I a minute?"

The pigtailed groom raised an eyebrow, looking between his new bride and his oldest friend. "Uhh, yeah, sure. I bet my old man could use another drink. Your dad's probably soaked right through his shirt by now." He grinned at his own comment, and nodded to Ukyo. "I'll catch you later, okay?"

"Yeah, of course."

He rose and headed toward his father, who was looking a bit on the drunk side. "Hey, Pops, you want some more Sake?"

The two women watched Ranma go, and then turned to face each other. Ukyo felt extremely vulnerable in that moment. Her longtime rival had come out the victor, and the only thing that made it even slightly palatable was that she had, on her own terms, orchestrated that victory. At least part way.

"So..." It was the only word she could manage, and it was sort of a cliché. She immediately regretted it, but Akane stepped in to save her, mercifully.

"So you did it! I half expected the same scene as last year, but I'm really glad everything went without a hitch." Ukyo gave a half-embarrassed smile at that. The damage had been so deep that even on the day of, Akane didn't trust her. Deserved? Perhaps, more than likely _yes_. Expected? Well, this _was _Akane, after all. She hadn't ever met a grudge she didn't like. But did deserved and expected make it any less painful?

She let the obvious answer to that hang in her psyche and put on a small smile. This was a happy occasion, after all.

"Yeah, I did it. Shampoo and Kodachi didn't make it easy, but that was to be expected." It was so horrifyingly awkward that she wanted to curl up and die right there. She regretted coming to the party, there was literally nothing that couldn't have been left unsaid. Instead, she'd subjected herself to seeing what, for years of her life, was the worst case scenario, made real. Not to mention the most bizarre small talk in history.

She started to say something else, but something completely unexpected happened: Akane grabbed her hand. Not in an aggressive way. It was more of a friendly way. Ukyo blinked, looking from the hand to Akane's face. The bride was wearing an excited grin. Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

"You know, for the longest time, I _knew_ that I was never going to get married. Especially after Ranma came with his dad. It was the furthest thing from what I wanted. But as time went on, it sort of… grew on me."

Ukyo continued to listen, still feeling awkward. She knew that Akane was, in her own way, trying to make things better between them. Trying to share this moment with her the only way she knew how. But Ukyo knew all too well how that feeling could sneak up on you. When she'd arrived in Nerima, it was for revenge. But in less than a day's time, her goals shifted. She learned the truth about her abandonment, and saw Ranma as worthy of her second chance at womanhood. She didn't really need Akane to remind her of what that felt like.

In spite of that, the girl continued.

"I guess what I'm saying is… I wish things hadn't happened the way they had. I wish our dads hadn't made the decision for us. I think that, given the chance to figure all of this out on our own, you and I could have been great friends instead of rivals." Akane's grin turned to a sad smile now. "We wasted a lot of time fighting, y'know?"

Ukyo chuckled softly in reply, though there was a slight edge of cynicism underneath. "Easy for you to say, you're sitting there after your wedding." She immediately regretted saying it, and sighed. "Sorry, old habits, you know? I'm happy for you, I really am. And, if I'm being honest… that's exactly the conclusion I came to before I showed up at your house that day."

It was Akane's turn to look surprised now. Ukyo looked down at their hands, still holding on. It was sort of fitting. In a way, the two of them had been intertwined by fate the moment Genma Saotome found her father's okonomiyaki cart and decided that he'd leverage his only son to rob another man of his livelihood through a promise of marriage. But, where Genma's promise to her own father was an act of deceit, his promise to Soun Tendo was an act of friendship. _That's why she was always going to be the one, _Ukyo thought, _her father wasn't duped into the agreement._

Ukyo sighed, looking away from Akane for a moment. "All my life, I have been defined by the choices other people made about me. My father's agreement to betroth me to Ranma. Genma's decision to renege on that agreement. Ranma not flat out telling me off when he found out I was actually a girl and what our fathers had done. I was so… swept up in all of it." Her gaze returned to Akane's sympathetic face. "We're both, well… I don't want to say victims, but _products_, I guess, of our circumstances." She sighed again, a frown playing at the corners of her mouth. "When I saw just how deeply affected you and Ranma were by the first wedding's failure, I came to understand that it was really what both of you wanted, even if you weren't ready to admit it then. Also, I came to understand that I didn't want to be that person anymore."

Akane's mouth was slightly open, as if she were trying to figure out what to say. The Tendo daughter had never been the most eloquent, or sympathetic, really. But Ukyo could tell, in this moment, that for once in their time together, Akane totally got it.

"Ukyo, I…"

Ukyo forced a smile and shook her head. "You don't have to say it. You don't have to apologize, Akane. We both made our share of mistakes along the way, we both backstabbed and cut one another down. But that's all in the past now." She raised her free hand. "In this place, I shall fight no more forever. I'm done being defined by what others decided for me. From now on, I gotta forge my own path, right?"

Akane looked dumbstruck for a moment. Whatever the girl had thought Ukyo's motivations were for doing what she'd done, it was clear that her expectations had been totally shattered. Ukyo tried not to look like she was taking a small amount of pride in that.

"In the end, Akane, I realized that while my love for Ranma is real, what makes love _true_ is the desire to see the person you love be as happy as they can be. No matter what that means. In Ranma's case, it means you. So, to see him happy, I would do whatever it took to see that you two got what you both were supposed to get: each other." Her free hand moved to the top of Akane's, and she looked into the girl's eyes. "Treat him well, take care of and support one another. Have some kids that Auntie Ukyo can come and spoil and, for the love of God, learn to cook something."

Akane looked slightly offended for a moment, but then both of their faces broke and they shared a laugh. A long, cathartic laugh. A laugh that Ukyo could tell was leading to tears now, which she fought to hold back. Akane stood up and leaned over the table, pulling Ukyo into a tight hug.

"Ukyo… thank you. Thank you so much, for everything. I hope, from now on, we can be close friends."

"Of course, Akane. We've gone through all this together… plus, I have to make sure you're keeping Ranma in line."

The two of them looked over to see Ranma with his parents. Genma was visibly drunk, while Nodoka looked as if she couldn't be more proud of the man her son had become. Ranma was speaking to his mother excitedly, his mouth a permanent smile. _It's so clear, isn't it? This was always where we would end up._

"Go talk to him." Ukyo turned to face Akane again as the girl spoke. Akane's smile was sincere and a little sympathetic. "He was hoping you'd make it here, but he was worried you wouldn't show up for… obvious reasons. But the one thing he _did _know was that you'd keep your promise. He believed in you. He wants to see you, too, okay?"

Ukyo nodded, and wiped a disobedient tear from the corner of her eye. "Yeah, of course. Thanks again, Akane. I'll see you around, okay?"

Ukyo nodded and made her way toward Ranma now, with Kasumi moving over to take her place at Akane's side. _No doubt there for support, in case I decided to be a jerk today._ She couldn't blame Kasumi for being a good sister, though. Nothing to be upset about there.

She also passed by a cluster of their classmates, who all looked her way as she went by. Daisuke and Hiroshi, Yuka and Sayuri. They all started whispering, no doubt about her, when she was past them. She tried not to let it bother her, but she couldn't help but blush a little. _Come on, guys. We all know each other…_

Nodoka saw her first, the proud mother's eyes turning on her as she approached. Nodoka was an interesting character, and why a woman so beautiful and independent ever married Genma Saotome would forever be lost on her. They exchanged glances, Nodoka no doubt sizing her up. Trying to figure out exactly what her motivations were. It was almost enough to wither her, to get her to give up on whatever her intentions were with Ranma. But Ukyo remained steadfast under the scrutiny, and hoped she looked honest enough that Nodoka would let her pass.

Her heart leapt with joy when the expression on the mother's face softened, and there was even a bit of a smile.

"Ukyo." Nodoka reached out toward her, and Ukyo was surprised to be pulled into a warm hug by the Saotome matriarch. The hilt of the woman's katana bumped against Ukyo's hip, a grim reminder of the danger the woman posed. "Thank you for your help today. As you can see, I came prepared for any possible outcomes."

Ukyo stiffened a bit, realizing the implications of that statement. "Glad I didn't let you down."

"As am I." Nodoka chuckled softly, giving the young woman a wink. She then glanced at her son, who looked slightly frightened of the exchange, and the mother gave him a reassuring smile, which visibly relaxed the boy. Next, she took Genma by the back of his collar.

"Come along, husband, the children need time to speak."

Genma blinked and grinned at Ukyo. "Oh, hey, Ukyo! D'ja bring some okonomoyokos?" Nodoka sighed softly and dragged her husband away.

"Later, Pops!" Ranma called after him, and Ukyo turned to face the groom. The young man looked handsome as ever, of course, and for a moment Ukyo regretted every decision that led her to this moment. Yes, she had been set on a path not of her choosing, but once she'd arrived in Nerima and found Ranma again, there was a large part of her that decided that it didn't mind. He could be an idiot sometimes, that was for certain. But in general he was a funny, sweet, handsome, _loyal_ person. That was what she loved about him.

_And that's why he'd never betray Akane. Not now, not ever._

Not that she was entertaining the idea.

"Ukyo, you there?" She came back to reality, and there he was, looking expectantly at her. She never imagined how difficult this was going to be.

"Oh, uh, yeah, hey." She ran her palms along the fabric of her dress, twisted her toe against the floor. Anything to distract herself with sensory feedback. Anything to keep herself from losing herself in those blue eyes. "I mean, what is there to say but congratulations, right?"

_Plenty of things, but none of them would be very wise._

Ranma laughed a bit at that, rubbing the back of his neck in that way he always did. Situational awareness, especially in the emotional realm, was never his strong suit. She was fairly certain that this situation wouldn't be any different. Honestly, she was glad for it.

"Thanks, Ukyo, really. For everything. I knew you'd come through for us today. I mean, ya always do, right?" He grinned wide, and then the wide slipped into just a small smile. "I'm really glad you came, though. I know this isn't, um…. you know, ideal. It's not really what you wanted… I mean…" He looked flustered, and she was trying hard not to feel hurt. This wasn't exactly his strong suit. _You can't punch hurt feelings_. She immediately chided herself for the thought. Ranma wasn't really just a blunt instrument.

She held up her hand. "It's okay, Ranma. I know what you're trying to say, okay?" She saw him floundering and had decided to bail him out, as much for his sake as for her own. Hearing him speak of the situation so directly was easily the most painful thing to happen that day. More than the fight, more than simply losing him.

Ranma nodded, and for a moment she could see that he did, in fact, understand. "Yeah, okay. But look, I have to say this: this day was really important, and crazy, and I never thought I'd feel this way but, I'm really happy. I know it's gonna cause some weird stuff between us, Ukyo, but I'm glad you're here because… well, it wouldn't be the same without my best friend here to share it with me."

Ukyo felt her cheeks get hot once again, and he looked at her sheepishly. "We can still be friends, right? All that ain't ruined?"

She just stood there for a moment,silently considering everything. Was this what everything amounted to? Considering everything, best friends was a pretty good ending, wasn't it? He could just as easily have decided to never see her again, in light of everything that had gone on between her and Akane. All the fighting, all the deceit… all of that, and he still wanted her in his life.

How selfish could she be, in the face of that?

"I'll need some time."

Her reply surprised even herself, and at first she didn't even realize that it was she who had said it. Ranma blinked at her, looking slightly hurt. While he was certainly not the greatest at emotional awareness, he was certainly emotional. She hadn't intended to hurt his feelings, she hadn't even intended to say what she'd said. But she was being honest with him, and with herself. As much as she'd been through, as much determination as she'd had, as steadfast as she'd been in her promise… she wasn't ready to be okay with all of this yet.

She hoped he'd understand.

Ranma stared at her for a moment, in slight disbelief, and rubbed the back of his neck again. She hated when he did that, it was so damned charming. He was rarely so vulnerable. "Yeah, sure Ukyo. Whatever ya need. Just… do what's best for you, okay?"

She knew he at least _half _meant it.

She sighed, and shifted uneasily in place. She was starting to get uncomfortable again, where only moments before she had been at peace with things. Who knew there'd ever be a situation where Akane calmed her down and Ranma made her feel worse. Not that it was his fault, really.

"I am. I will." He nodded. and that was that. She had expected something more, but what more could there have been? She wanted to apologize, to hug him and tell him that they would be okay. But she couldn't promise that would be true, and she wasn't interested in lying anymore. She looked back over her shoulder at Akane with her sisters, laughing. Happy. She turned back to Ranma then.

"You should get back to your wife. This is supposed to be your day."

Ranma looked between Ukyo and Akane, with the faintest hint of trepidation that, in the past, would have given her hope. Today, however, it just made her feel guilty. Finally, he decided. "Yeah, you're right." He stepped toward her, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks again, Ukyo. I really hope we'll see you around?" There was some hopefulness in his question. She hadn't completely blown it yet, their long held friendship. She simply nodded, giving him what she could feel was a sad smile.

And then he walked back over to Akane, that pigtail bobbing behind him.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

She'd stayed, for a while. She leaned against the outer wall of the Tendo home and watched the goings on as they unfolded in the courtyard. Everyone looked so happy with the outcome, and now that she'd had her time with the bride and groom, mostly no one noticed her anymore. After half an hour, Genma was drunkenly shouting for a speech and, in the commotion, she'd slipped away. The laughter and the music emanating from the Tendo-Saotome wedding followed her down the street as she made her way back toward home.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

_Three Days Later…_

Daisuke and Hiroshi were _starving. _There was rarely a time when they weren't, being teenaged boys. But they both had desperate need for okonomiyaki on this day, and a trip to Ucchan's was in order.

They made their way, laughing and joking, through the streets of Nerima and toward their goal. It was a day like any other, the sun shining in the bright blue sky. Things were great, and they were about to get better…

Or, at least, they'd thought so. Until they reached the door with the sign.

"_I regret to inform you,_" it read, "_that due to recent events, Ucchan's has been forced to close. I thank you all for your friendship and your patronage, but the time has come for me to seek new opportunities in my life. I hope to someday return to Nerima, but for now, goodbye._

_Ukyo"_

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The airport was bustling, and the girl with the blue blouse and the heavy duffel bag and the large metal spatula was staring at her boarding pass. She hadn't left Tokyo in years, and had never been out of Japan. But in her hand was the key to her new life. Her new start.

"**NRT - LAX - ATL - LGA"**

It was going to be a long flight.


End file.
